Can This Be Done on a Brownstone?
I’ve been wondering for a while how sports bars are able to create rooftop bars in NY. Do you need a permit for something like this for a brownstone? It’s just a few steel beams with retractable shades. I’d love to have something like this in my home. Any feedback greatly appreciated.
I’ve been wondering for a while how sports bars are able to create rooftop bars in NY. Do you need a permit for something like this for a brownstone? It’s just a few steel beams with retractable shades. I’d love to have something like this in my home. Any feedback greatly appreciated.
Masterbuilder, for the roof tiles that you installed, is it possible for the tiles to be removed say 15 years later when I need to replace/repair the roof and rebuild back the patio with the existing tiles afterwards?
The building is a R6b 27 x 100 property. I’m not planning on major parties or anything elaborate, just maybe a new years party with 10-20 ppl and occasional guests – like 4 x a year at most but mostly an additional space to kick back and relax with the wife and enjoy the views. I’m glad I can make the canopy, don’t worry, no loud music though however, would I have to redo my whole roof to support? I was told my roof is relatively new and has at least another 15 years. I walk on it all the time now without issues.
The biggest obstacle to creating a roofdeck on a traditional brownstone isn’t the loading — those roofs can’t hold the live load of a group of people, so a new deck would have to be restructured anyway. The obstacle instead is the egress requirement. The DoB would be looking for a safe, code compliant stair as a way to get to the space, and for the layout of some townhouses there is just no room for that (effectively 3’x11′ of floor plan gobbled up). A ladder to the space doesn’t cut it.
If you are lucky enough to have a layout where the stair to the roof can be a continuation of the building’s stairwell, for example, then you could probably do a roofdeck without much more technical difficulty.
JimHill, I read it that way too. He just wants a rooftop deck with an awning, not start his own sports bar.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think the intent was to create a rooftop bar. Sounds like the OP just wants an awning on the roof. In that case, yes, you will need a permit, but all that other stuff is unnecessary.
Jim Hill, RA, LEED AP
You will need to do a load calculation for the roof in addition to the actual useage of the roof. If you want to use it as a commercial establishment it will be bound by zoning allowances and you also have to ensure that there is sufficient egress throughout.
See my comment on the deck post above.
(P.S. I built the rooftop bar 230 Fifth Avenue. http://www.230-fifth.com/,
http://www.masterbuildernyc.com)
Yes, you need a permit.
you would need an architect and permits, and probably a lawyer after all of your neighbors sue you for being a really bad neighbor